Testimonies OF THE SOUND ATTACK

You can read individual statements by hovering over the dots, which we have sorted by locations and subcategories.

BELGRADE

|

KING MILAN STREET

|

15.03.2025

|

19:11

|

CET (+1)

During the peaceful protest on March 15, 2025, in Belgrade, attended by several hundred thousand citizens, around 19:11, during fifteen minutes of silence, a disturbing sound incident occurred. An unknown crowd control device disturbed citizens and triggered a sudden stampede, panic, and physical injuries. Most often described as a loud roar similar to an airplane or train, sometimes accompanied by a wave of heat, the event provoked various reactions. More than 3,500 citizens testified about psychological and physical consequences, hundreds of which were medically documented.

DATABASE

3031

CASES

Data Collection

The data presented, collected from citizens, was gathered by civil society organizations in two ways. Initially, over 250 testimonies were received via phone and email. Due to the high response, on March 16, a questionnaire was created, which in just 30 hours was completed by 3,519 citizens. Hundreds of later testimonies were not included in the analysis. The high motivation of citizens to have the case investigated, better understood, and those responsible prosecuted is reflected in the fact that 86% left contact information for verification and further steps. Less than 1% of testimonies were dismissed as unreliable.

Analysis and Visualization

As part of further research, the team first processed data on the locations where citizens were at the time of the incident, classifying them into nine key zones covering the area from the Palace of Albania to Slavija. Within these zones, testimonies of 3,032 citizens were analyzed. Next, attention was directed to analyzing descriptions of the sound and other experiences related to the sound incident. These testimonies were categorized by types of sounds and stimuli reported by citizens. Since many experienced sudden distress and confusion, the testimonies often contain multiple impressions that were carefully identified and assigned to each individual statement. Finally, the research team specifically classified the physical and psychological consequences of the sound incident, clearly separating them from the consequences caused by the subsequent stampede.

Analysis

Discover Nuxt

ZONES

DIRECTION

1. TER

ZVEZDA-TERAZIJE

2. SGB

SKUPŠTINA GRADA

3. PRE

PREDSEDNIŠTVO

4. LON

LONDON

5. BGD

BEOGRAĐANKA

6. SKC

SKC

7. JDP

JDP

8. HLT

HILTON

9. SLA

SLAVIJA

From which direction did the wave come?

From the direction of Terazije

From the direction of Slavija

Not sure

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES BY LOCATIONS

3031

102
122
99
210
471
769
876
137
246

Did you hear any sound?

YES

(2851)

NO

(181)

Testimonies

SORTED BY LOCATIONS AND CATEGORIES

3031 individual testimonies have been classified into over 12,000 individual statements describing the sound and its consequences, other experiences, and the consequences of the stampede. You can read these statements by hovering over the dots, which we have sorted by locations and subcategories. Each dot in this display represents a personal testimony of this traumatic physical and psychological attack, which must remain documented, clarified, and sanctioned. The presented testimonies are depersonalized, meaning they do not contain personal data.

WARNING: This content includes disturbing experiences and descriptions of injuries and may cause retraumatization.

1

Sound description

Detonation, explosion, cannon plate, firecracker, firearm, thunder (short, blunt or shooting sound of high intensity).

A

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Sound of machine-road-rail vehicle (car, truck, tank, engine, train, tank)

B

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Sound of rockets, missiles, fireworks fire (high frequency screaming or sliding sound)

C

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Unpensible, unexplained and / or abstract noise

D

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

The sound of an aircraft, aircraft or drone

E

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Sound of low frequency (huk, humming, vibration)

F

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Hurricane, tsunami, earthquake or similar atmospheric or natural phenomenon (except groma)

G

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Movement of masses of people, armies, police, Stampedo

H

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Horses, herd animal, gallop, truth, rumble

I

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Human scream, whistle and shout

J

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

graphgraph

2

Physical and psychological experiences except sound

Wind, Wave, Air Stream

A

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Heat

B

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Fear and anxiety, anxiety (discomfort, inconvenience, uncertainty, feeling upcoming danger)

C

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Disorientation, Confusion, Confusion, Paralysis (Heabor)

D

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

I don't know everything happened so fast that I didn't even understand (I don't know, I'm not sure, etc.)

E

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Tiling and vibration of soil

F

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Move hearing and balance (buzzing in ears, hearing loss, dizziness)

G

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Nausea, change of pressure in the body, fever

H

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Energy wave, inexplicable force that is not air flow, thrust or external pressure

I

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Pecking, Žarci, Turning

J

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Body pain (chest, stomach, head, etc.),

K

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Coldness

L

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

graphgraph

3

The consequences of the sound

Fear and anxiety

A

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Panic, shock, trauma, sepromise, paranoia, feeling of the occasional death

B

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Disorientation, confusion, distraction, dumping, confusion, insecurity, hopelessness, experience of precipitation

C

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Impot, weakness, faxing

D

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Hearing problems (ear pressure, clogged ears, tinnitus, whipping in ears, hearing loss)

E

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Headache, Loss of consciousness and balance disorder (dizziness, pressure in the head, fainment, etc.)

F

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Heart problems (arrhythmia and tachycardia (heartbeat, accelerated heart rate), elevated blood pressure

G

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Loss of breath, pressure and pain in chest, choking (breathing problems)

H

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Beograđanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Other types of body pain (stomach, stomach, back, etc.),

I

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Eye problems, shooting eye capillaries, burning eyes

J

1. Terazije

2. Skupština

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

General symptoms: nausea and disorder of body temperature (elevated, cold, sweating, heat in the face, creeps, fever and uncontrolled shaking body parts)

K

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

graphgraph

4

Posledice stampeda

Teže povrede

A

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavija

Lighter injuries

B

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Hearing problems

C

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Psychic consequences (current)

D

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Psychic consequences (delayed - cognitive)

E

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Psychic consequences (delayed - disorder of affect, reduced affect)

F

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Bodily stress reactions

G

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Predsedništvo

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Heart problems

H

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Anger, screaming, shock of adrenaline

I

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Predsedništvo

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavija

Fear for Never, Helping Others, Fear for others who have hurt

J

1. Terazije

2. Skupština

3. Predsedništvo

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

Escaped Stampedo / No Stamped where I stood

K

1. Terazije

2. Assembly

3. Presidency

4. London

5. Belogradjanka

6. SKC

7. JDP

8. Hilton

9. Slavia

graphgraph

IMPRINT

LEAD RESEARCHERS

Prof. dr Vladan Joler

AU, UNS

Prof. dr Đorđe Krivokapić

FON, BU

Prof. dr Ivana Kovačević

FON, BU

DATA COLLECTION

Data collected through the questionnaire by civil society organizations:

Beogradski centar za ljudska prava

Crta

FemPlatz

Građanske inicijative

A11 - Inicijativa za ekonomska i socijalna prava

Komitet pravnika za ljudska prava –YUCOM

DATA PROCESSING

SHARE Foundation

Snežana Bajčeta

Mila Bajić

Andrijana Ristić

CRTA

Jovana Novaković

YUCOM

Una Danilović

DESIGN AND VISUALIZATION

Olivia Solis Villaverde

MAP

Gordan Savičić

Selena Savić

PROGRAMMING

Uroš Borić

SYSTEM ENGINEER

Dušan Ostraćanin

THANKS TO ALL CITIZENS WHO SUBMITTED THEIR TESTIMONIES